The Moment When, After
by PopCultureSalad
Summary: A series of interrelated one-shots. Each chapter will be random snapshots of moments between Beth and Daryl as they navigate (with the group) through the zombie apocalypse. Beth is alive and well. Daryl is happy to have her with him. No angst. No sadness. Just the happy moments I wished they'd had. (Title comes from the Margaret Atwood poem The Moment)
1. A Moment

**A/N: So I just finished the mid-season finale, and I am a huge mess. HUGE MESS. Writing is therapeutic for me, so I wrote this little one-shot. It doesn't really take place anywhere or during anytime. It's more of a snapshot of what I wished for our Bethyl. So, I'm gonna go cry some more right now. But I hope this makes you smile. **

Beth woke with a start, gasping as she reached out and felt the cold ground below her. The night was chilly and the sky was clear, a perfect crescent moon surrounded by a sea of stars.

"Shhh, I gotcha" she felt strong arms wrap around her torso and pull her back gently. The fear immediately left her, though her heart was still drumming, not realizing yet that she had woken up. Daryl nuzzled her neck as she reached back to make sure he was really there, ruffling his hair before she brought her hand back to rest on top of his.

Convinced it was all real, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, grounding herself in the moment, feeling his cool body pressing firmly against hers.

"A nightmare?" He asked quietly. Beth shook her head.

"Just give me a moment" she whispered back, taking more deep breaths, sweeping her hands across his.

There was no way for any of them to know exactly where they were at the moment; the group had just stumbled upon this place like they always did. A makeshift camp in the middle of a forest, surrounded by trees that had been cut down and left there years ago. It was currently making a perfect resting place for the night. The angle of the fallen trees made it easy for them to hide and protected them from the cold. It was perfect and just what they needed.

Despite her nightmare, Beth was happy. She was safe, she was with her family, she was with her friends. All was good.

She had Daryl next to her, holding her tight, chasing all the ugliness away. She had her sister and brother-in-law sleeping a few sleeping bags away, who would be at her side in an instant. She had her friends Rick, Carl, and Michonne, quietly tucked in their own piece of the forest nearby. She had Sasha and Tyreese, who had insisted on staying up for the entire watch, although there was no need tonight. They were all safe. For tonight, they were safe.

She had her mentor, Carol, safe and sound, and finally getting the rest she needed after the hell she'd been through. She heard Judith cooing somewhere in the distance, Rick speaking to her in hushed tones. She had Judy. She had everyone.

"Okay, I'm good now." She whispered as she turned her body towards Daryl, nuzzling her face on his chest, trying to get as close to him as possible.

"Yeah?" He ran his hands up and down her back as she nodded in his chest. "Yeah" she responded, closing her eyes again. They lay like that for a few minutes, feeling the warmth and strength of each other.

"Daryl?"

"Hm?"

"I'm glad we're here."

She looked up at him from her position on his chest as he pulled back a little to look down at her.

"All of us" she clarified as she smiled.

He returned her smile and leaned down to press his lips on hers. She returned it without hesitancy, feeling their lips move softly against each other. Their kiss was chaste and shy, both still getting used to their new level of intimacy. He brought his hands up from her back to frame her face as he slowly pulled away; using his thumbs to brush away the hair from her face. She gave him a toothy grin before kissing him quickly on the lips and bringing her face to his chest again. He brought his nose to her hair and inhaled deep before rolling on his back, softly pulling Beth next to him. She settled her head on the crook of his neck, fanning her hands on his chest as his hands went to her hair, playing with the ponytail he had come to miss.

"So what's the plan for tomorrow?" She asked, drawing circles on his chest with her fingers.

"Dunno," he responded, kissing the top of her head. "Probably same as every other day. Huntin'. Fightin'. Survivin'."

"I can't wait."

"Me neither" he brought his left hand and placed it on top of hers, causing her doodling to stop. They turned their hands and interlocked their fingers, much like they had a long time ago.

"You best get some sleep now," Daryl said as he rested his cheek on her hair. "Don't know if you remember, but we do a lot of walkin' here."

Beth giggled as she took a deep breath, letting her eyes close again as she rested on Daryl.

"I remember" she said, feeling the pull of sleep "you'll walk with me?"

"Always" he promised.


	2. All The Time in the World

**A/N: My first "M" story (although this is barely that…is there such thing as an M-? An L?)**

Beth sat on the hard earth, using a rock on her dull blade in a manner that Daryl had told her would help sharpen it. She used steady strokes up and down the blade of her trusty hunting knife, happy to still own such a thing. She looked up and saw Carl playing with Judith, something she had noticed him doing a lot more these days. Beth smiled as she watched him lay on his back, holding Judy in his hands and "flying" her over his body. Judy responded by kicking her little legs in the air, laughing down at her brother, trusting he would always keep her safe.

These were the moments Beth loved the most, the little bits of peace and happiness that still existed in this world of the dead. Beth made sure to capture them all in her heart, storing them for the certain brutal days ahead. Carl turned his head and caught Beth staring at them, his ears reddening as he grinned widely, lowering Judith down as he sat up. Beth winked and went back to her task, humming a song her mama use to sing to her as she tested the sharpness of her work.

A few minutes later she heard the sound of twigs snapping as Daryl approached her. It was unmistakably him, and she was proud of herself for being able to differentiate between his and the other's footsteps. It was another trick she'd picked up from him, one of the many things she had learned just by being next to her hunter all these months.

When she felt his presence hovering close to her, she fought against the urge to pull him down into her arms. She wasn't going to caress his neck in that manner she knew he loved, or kiss him passionately like they did when they assumed no one else was watching. They were together and everybody knew it. Beth would undoubtedly do all these things to him in the very near future, but it didn't have to be at that moment. They had all the time in the world. At least, that's what he had promised her.

"Let's take a look." Daryl knelt down next to her and took the knife Beth handed him. He ran his finger by the blade and winced. "Damn girl" he handed it back to her "practically cut my finger off."

"Oh ha ha" she grinned as she rolled her eyes, going back to the knife.

"Nah really girl. You're gonna end up cutting that rock in half." He praised her, lightly nudging her.

Beth lifted the knife up and admired her work. It was funny the things that made her proud these days.

"Come on," he gestured as he stood. "Let's see if we can put that thing to good use."

* * *

><p>They walked quietly side by side, Beth holding on tight to the handle of her newly sharpened blade as Daryl held his crossbow in front of him. Not less than a mile from where they had started, Beth had seen the three walkers stumbling around a wooden shed. She froze when she saw them which prompted Daryl to look in that direction.<p>

Without a word, he signaled for her to go towards the left as he walked slowly towards their right. Within moments Daryl's arrow had flown into one walker's head as he ran to the second one with his knife, pushing the blade between its eyes. He quickly turned to see Beth dispatch hers, angling her blade through the walker's nose up into its brain. He smiled fondly when he realized he had taught her that move, using her height to her advantage.

Beth stepped back and saw the walker fall in front of her before she turned to find Daryl, a smile spreading on her face when she saw he was safe. He signaled for them to look around, making sure there weren't other walkers. After a few seconds when he knew they were safe, Daryl turned his attention to the shed.

"Random place for one of these" he said as he walked up towards the door, Beth walking behind it.

"Maybe not so random" he heard her call out from the other side of the shed. He followed her voice and found her staring at what appeared to be the remains of a burned down cabin.

"What kinda idiots would burn down a cabin?" He grinned as he turned to Beth. She rolled her eyes as she laughed.

"Big idiots" she responded as she grabbed his hand, treating him with a kiss to his knuckles. He squeezed her hand for a second before letting go, making his way back to the shed door. He knocked on it loudly and waited for any sounds from inside. When nothing happened he opened it hoping to find something useful.

"Guess we're late to the lootin'" he said as they both stepped inside the small space. There was nothing but old nails stuck to the walls and dirt on the floors. Shelves lined the walls, but the only thing they were holding was empty tin cans and a few matchboxes. Beth picked them up and put them in her pocket as she turned and shrugged at Daryl.

Daryl walked across the small space towards a small dirty window and peaked outside, staring at the remains of the old cabin. Before he was able to stop the thoughts, he found himself back at that old rickety cabin they had pretended belonged to his old man. Beth and him lit up on the front porch, him saying more to her than he'd ever said to another soul.

"You were right." He whispered, still looking at the remains. He felt her walk up behind him, but she didn't say a word.

"I missed you" he closed his eyes as he remembered the panic in his chest when he realized Beth was gone.

"I missed you real bad."

She didn't respond. Instead she wrapped her arms around him, pressing her head against his shoulder blades, much like she had done a long time before. This was the first time he had acknowledged their time together before she was taken. Before she was rescued.

Beth felt him inhale deeply and she looked up, seeing his profile, his eyes closed tight. He brought his arms over hers and held her the best way he could. They stayed like that for a long time.

"I'm proud of you." She finally spoke, feeling him stiffen slightly beneath her arms.

"You didn't let it change you. You stayed who you are."

He took another breath and released her arms. She always knew what to say to him; words he never realized that he needed to hear.

He turned around and faced her, his eyes clouded over in a way that made it hard for her to read him. She placed her hand on his lips then moved it up to his forehead, brushing his hair out of his face. She smiled and placed a kiss on his chest where she was even to him, just beneath his chin. He smiled softly at her and closed his eyes. When he opened them again they were bright and happy. She never wanted to look away.

She rose on her toes and met his lips with hers, kissing him gently as if testing to see what his response would be. He slid his arms around her back and deepened the kiss, telling her everything she needed to know. They kissed for a long time, lazy kisses that were both familiar and exciting. They parted after a while, both breathing evenly, Beth cradling his face in her hands. When she looked up into his eyes again she felt a change, a buzz she couldn't quite place but recognized was within herself. She reached up and kissed him harder.

Feeling this new sense of braveness he had evoked in her, she placed her hands on his flannel shirt and began unbuttoning it, proud of how fluid and steady her hands were. When she undid the last one, they broke apart as she slid his shirt and vest off his chest. The only thing on his upper body was a light thermal which he pulled over his head and dropped on the floor, leaving his chest bare and exposed for her. Daryl cupped her face in his hands and resumed kissing her as he took his turn to undress her. Slipping his hands under the various layers she was wearing, Daryl lifted her shirts over her head and let them drop next to them. She reached behind and unclasped her own bra, secretly grateful that their bodies were still so close that he wouldn't be seeing her naked front right away. He pulled slightly away from her when he realized what she had done, and she smiled shyly in response.

He seemed to understand what she needed that moment and brought their lips together again as he slowly lowered them onto the floor. He didn't feel the need to ask about any past experience or if she was certain this was what she wanted. She didn't feel the need to share or assure him. They had both been through too much to let uncertainties or doubts get in their way.

What surprised her the most was how his weight on her didn't bother her. What surprised him was how incredibly soft she felt despite everything she'd been through. She was tough, she'd saved herself over and over again, yet her skin held no indication of that.

He had lowered her on his discarded vest, a leather buffer between her and the cold wooden floor. She used her body to warm his, her arms around his back, stroking him gently. She felt the grooves of his back under her fingertips. She didn't feel the need to ask, and he didn't feel the need to share.

They used their hands to explore each other's bodies, not once breaking from their kiss. She loved the feel of his rough hands sliding up her legs, he loved her hands on his arms, squeezing the muscle softly, claiming it as hers. He broke their kiss to rain chaste kisses on her cheeks and down her neck. Beth giggled softly, his stubbled chin tickling her in a spot she hadn't known was sensitive.

He froze when he heard her laughter and lifted his head to look her square in the eyes.

"You'll tell me?"

It was more of a request than a question.

She placed her hand on his cheek and he leaned into her touch. "Beth, you'll tell me?" He implored again on a whisper as he closed his eyes.

"Yes" she whispered back, moving her hands to the back of his head. "I'll tell you" she pulled him back down, forcing their kiss to deepen, their tongues dancing with further validation. Beth felt light headed for a moment with the newfound confidence he had just given her. Knowing that despite the fact that Daryl was stronger, braver, and more fearless than her, she held all the power right now. With one word, he would stop.

But Beth was not going to tell him to stop. They both wanted this, had earned it. It was one of the little bits of peace and happiness that still existed in this world of the dead.

She felt him rise slightly above her as he pushed his pants down, groaning when he realized he still had his shoes on. She giggled as he quickly sat up and kicked off his shoes. She remained in her spot on the floor but managed to remove hers as well, though with a little more grace than Daryl had. He looked up at her and brought his hands to the waistband of her jeans, watching her as if waiting for her to stop him. When she gave him a warm smile, he pulled them down her long legs, watching every inch of newly exposed skin as he did so.

When he came back to rest on top of her, the only thing separating them was her modest underwear. He leaned down and kissed her again, and as he did so, she felt his hardness pressing into her, and for a moment, Beth was sure she could fly. She bit his lower lip before bringing her lips to his shoulder, pressing open mouthed kisses as she moved her hand down between them. Feeling a bit timid, she dared herself to touch him, letting her fingers stroke him a few times. It was just a brief amount of contact, but Daryl dipped his head onto her shoulder as he felt her shy fingers on him, hissing and then pressing desperate kisses on her skin. He was amazed that this tiny girl was able to elicit so much from him.

Realizing the effects she had on him with just a simple touch, any nervousness she had went away as she pulled off her underwear and instinctually looped her leg across his back. She arched into him, attempting to press him further against her. He lifted his head from her shoulder and looked down at her, watching her flushed face and eyes that had fluttered closed. He kissed her eyes softly, prompting her to open them and when she did, he smiled at her as she smiled back. He lowered himself to kiss her cheek as he reached down between them and took ahold of his hardness, guiding himself to her entrance.

Slowly he sunk into her, watching her face for any sign of resistance. Beth gasped at the foreign feeling, hugging him closer, lifting her head so they were cheek to cheek. As he continued slowly filling her, he was overcome with an emotion he couldn't explain. A mix of euphoria and lust, something he had never felt before.

Beth closed her eyes for a second before opening them again, finding him staring back at her, drunk on pleasure and on her. With a strained smile, she encouraged him to continue, not wanting to lose this closeness anytime soon.

He bowed his head again and pulled out of her briefly before coming back down, a slow tempo he continued over and over again. He felt his arms straining as he braced himself over her, fighting the urge to go faster but instead keeps the slow rhythm they had going. It seemed natural that after a time, he became completely attuned to Beth's body and how it was reacting to his, changing his pace depending on her gasps and moans. Beth looped her other leg over him, hooking her ankles together, and allowing her body to move on instinct. She closed her eyes again and was amazed at how her body knew how to respond, meeting his thrusts with her own, and falling into a rhythm that seems so natural for them.

He whispered encouragements, repeating her name over and over until she felt a new found heat inside her begin to rise higher and higher. She begs, not sure exactly what she needs, and he answers with more kisses and admirations.

She has a brief flashback of the first time she ever saw him, what seemed to be years ago at her father's farm, him standing with his arms crossed, scanning the farm, uncomfortable in his own skin. The sudden awareness of Daryl Dixon now and all around her is the last push she needs before she feels herself falling. She clutches to him hard, a cry escaping her lips, as her body trembles and jerks all around him. Almost immediately she feels Daryl freeze above her shortly before feeling his body vibrate underneath her fingertips and she hears him gasping her name. His body becomes heavy on top of her as he lowers himself fully on her, burying his head in her hair. She doesn't mind, in fact she would be perfectly happy to stay like this for a long time. She kisses every part of his body she can reach with her mouth while he's sated on top of her. She hears him chuckle above her, and she laughs back. She strokes his back as he moves his hand to her head, massaging her scalp.

He doesn't feel the need to ask her if she's okay, and she doesn't feel the need to share. They have all the time in the world to discuss it all. At least that's what she promised him.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Full disclosure, I wrote this chapter mostly for practice! I wanted to see if I was able to, um, write this kind of stuff, before I put it into my other Bethyl story. And because there can never be too much Bethyl out there, despite what my therapist says.**


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